Chameleon On Cricket Strike

[PBandJammers]

I have a 5-6 month old Jackson's. For the past 2 weeks or so I've been hand feeding my chameleon a meal worm before every feeding as a way to get him used to my hand. After he would take it, I would bring in the feeding cup of crickets and he would happily chow down. But starting yesterday, after the mealworm he snubs the crickets. I've read that they can become picky if fed too many worms, but i figured one a feeding wouldn't be an issue.

Today, in order top get him to eat I help a meal worm up underneath the feeding cup so that when he went for mealworm, he would get cricket. I managed to get him to eat two crickets, but he caught on and lost interest.

I'm wondering what the best way to break this would be? Should I only offer crickets and no mealworms for a while? Even before all this he wouldn't take crickets from my hand, only the mealworms, so is there another way I can get him used to my hand without baiting him with treats? Should I maybe introduce more variety? I've also read that no one insect should be a staple so should I start to introduce dubias? I know they can go a few days without eating, it's just hard not to worry about him.

 

[Syreptyon]

Well first of all, you should stop feeding mealworms, period! They are not at all healthy and can lead to impaction. It is highly recommended that they are not used with chameleons. You'd be much better off substituting them for waxworms, superworms, hornworms, silkworms or (preferably) BSFL. Really anything other than mealies

Cricket strikes can be super annoying, but you can always try going a couple days without feeding anything at all and then reintroducing the crickets to see if he will break his strike. Otherwise you can also consider an alternate staple like dubias or red runners for a while

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Appropriately sized superworms are a good substitute for mealworms, according to many. I personally have not tried it though.

 

[PBandJammers]

I think I found the reason for the strike. When I got home from work today, I could see that he's shedding! It's weird because before I left he looked pretty normal, but it's like his skin exploded when I got home. I'm glad I found the solution and it's nothing bad.

 

[lydiadubb]

Shedding might be it, my jacksons drops his appetite a bit when shedding too.

 

[Cordawayconstruction]

My Jackson's s dis the same thing and hornworms broke it. Even when he's shedding and being super picky he can't pass one up.

Get some hornies. Also, blue bottle fly spikes and hatch them. My Jackson's goes bananas for flying feeders. The bsf's would be better if you hatches them but I haven't had any luck with them yet. I keep flies, crickets and hornworms in my Jackson's enclosure all the time.